Metal and Magic
by transcendantviewer
Summary: A lone traveler makes a hard trek through the dense underbrush, until the thick canopy cover opens to reveal a shining, beautiful land... Of ponies. Join our fated protagonist, Sentinel, as he explores this new, strange land. Or don't. That's cool too. You'd rather sit in a tavern all day, waiting for the adventure to start? Well, ladi-uncle-tom-da. Warning: Possible mature content
1. Chapter 1: A Wandering Monster

_**Author's Note:**_

 _ **Hello, everyone, transcendantviewer here. Long time no see. Now, normally, I exclusively write Borderlands stories, and I do have plans to resume Pandoran Nights, to those still holding out for that series, but I've gone through some changes recently. First, a slight recap; my writing has dwindled significantly due to changing interests, personal struggles, and general life experiences intercepting progress. I started going to a small gaming shop in my area, and have had my love for the Dungeons and Dragons franchise rekindled, as well as been formally introduced to a budding, wonderful community: The Bronies. Yes, I have been inducted into the ranks of the Brony people, and I must say, I'm rather comfortable with the transition. Now, that aside, I've been somewhat perusing the Friendship is Magic stories here on Fanfiction, and I must say, a lot of them have great promise, though the road is long and arduous. Due to shifting interests, I've decided to start up a MLP: FiM/D &D story. I hope everyone reading this finds it entertaining. Now, without any further ado, I give you my newest story: Metal and Magic. Enjoy.**_

 __ **Chapter 1: A Wandering Monster.**

The skies shone with a wonderful blue, something Sentinel rarely saw; though, not for a lack of observation. You can't live your entire life, eternally conscious, and just _miss_ the skies, after all. When you don't sleep, eat, or even breathe, means to occupy your daily life can quickly become scarce. Watching the stars twinkle in the night sky and seeing the sun rise in the morning becomes commonplace. But what wasn't commonplace, was the beautiful hue of the sky this morning. It wasn't its ordinary light blue, with the occasional spattering of white, cottony clouds, drifting lazily through the sky: no, on this particular morning, it was the color of a blue diamond. The clouds didn't drift lazily either, they floated on, seemingly with monotonous purpose, almost willed to move along some pattern that he was unaware of. But... There were no druids for thousands of miles; he'd made sure to take absolute care to keep clear of sanctuaries. Who could move the skies? _What_ could move the skies if not a druid?

With each heavy footfall, Sentinel stepped into the sun's welcoming light from under the canopy of trees above. He stood, a towering fortress of a being; a solid 7'2'' tall. Eyes of amber crystal met the warm rays, thick armor shining in midday's illuminating embrace. The clouds drift through the cerulean sky lazily, sliding overhead with haunting sluggishness and graceful uniformity.

"Something strange is going on here..." Sentinel mutters to himself, his focus shifting from the bewitching skies above to the forest all around. With weary movements, he trudges on, his bulk leaving deep impressions in the fertile soil. Slowly, the forest opens up to a wide area; a meadow of sorts, filled with rustic buildings of hay and wood. In the distance, a sweeping orchard of rolling hills and lush apple trees comes into view. "What is this place?" he asks himself softly, heading towards the orchard.

As he approached, an odd fact came to light: everything was small. Sized for Halflings, even the trees, however, before he could take the time to further inspect anything, something even stranger wandered into his view. A horse. A very small horse. A horse small enough that it could serve as a mount for a Halfling. But curious of all, was its attire. It bore a ranching hat, with its golden tail bound into - ironically enough - a pony tail. It, no she, scans the landscape with her deep, green eyes that shine brightly with deceptive intelligence as she trots towards a beautifully painted red barn. Then, just as he'd noticed her and froze in confusion and wonder, the mare freezes after catching Sentinel with a glance. She stops suddenly, her rough, golden mane's bangs bouncing beneath her hat, as if protesting the sudden halt. Her eyes widen and her small, pert mouth slowly widens, as if to speak. Then he heard it, an "it" that will haunt his hundred-year-old mind for the rest of his life. This, well quite frankly, gorgeous mare opens her mouth and releases neither a whinny nor a neigh, but a word. A simple word. The word that every other person – and now horse – that had ever met Sentinel has first said upon laying eyes upon him.

"What?" He heard the softest of drawls to her tone, an unmistakable word uttered with unmistakable intelligence and confusion. And as if on cue, he catches the very same word leak from his metal mouth, for the same reason as it had leaked from this mare's. "What?" At his response, the mare's eyes squint, processing what she'd heard, and her ears folded down ever so slightly before again, her eyes widened. Her expression is filled with even more confusion and shock than before, and so would Sentinel's, should it have been capable of expressing anything at all. With a courage that one could only expect from another fully aware, sentient being, the mare approaches slowly, her eyes squinted with a cautious determination and her head sunken, as if prepared to turn and run at a moment's notice. She closes the distance painfully slowly, taking nearly a full minute to travel what could have taken only a few moments. Sentinel remains perfectly still, his hands not leaving his sides and his crystalline eyes transfixed upon her glimmering emerald ones.

When she'd finally came within about ten paces of the massive metal humanoid, she again stops, allowing her eyes to only then roam over his figure, taking in his heinous features. Then, again, with unmistakable intelligence, the mare speaks. "Wh-what are you?" she asks softly, as though to ask herself more than him. Her confused eyes transfix on his metal jaw as he replies to her question.

"My name is Sentinel, I'm what you'd call... a golem. I just wandered by through that forest over there. I don't mean any harm." He said, his training as a soldier allowing him to maintain a calm and collected tone as he speaks. He then leans down, resting his hands on his knees slowly, to kneel on the ground, keeping his hands in full view. "See? No harm." He continues, removing his equipment, weapons, and shield and tossing them several feet away, out of his reach.

"And uh... My name's Applejack. Don't uh... Don't go nowhere, ya hear?" the mare asks, slowly lifting her head and stepping backwards towards the small farmhouse behind her. Her eyes never leave Sentinel as she makes her way inside, her powerful hind legs kicking the wooden door open. She then darts inside and a shrill voice echoes from within.

"Applejack! I done told ya not ta kick in that door!" an aged voice hollers at the brown-coated, golden haired mare.

"Granny Smith, we ain't got time for that now! We got some kind of... Two legged metal varmint in the front field! An' it talks! Get Big Mac and keep an eye on 'em! I gotta get Twilight and the others!" the mare shouts back, her voice distinct against the silence of the orchard. Then, the golden haired mare, Applejack, gallops off, away from the farmhouse and off the orchard, towards the small village in the distance. Then, a few moments later, an elderly mare, with a peculiar, green coat and experienced, wise brown eyes slowly steps out of the house, followed by a large, obviously muscular horse behind her. The horse behind her has a large green apple on their flank with a horse collar around their neck and the elderly mare possesses a steaming pie, seemingly tattooed onto her flank.

"Keep an eye on 'em, Big Mac. Don't want 'em causin' any trouble." The elderly mare said, using her dainty front hoof to point towards Sentinel. The red-coated, muscular horse, Big Mac, nods before responding in a deep, gruff, simple affirmation.

"Eyup." He replied, their voice making it obvious that the horse was in fact a stallion. With a resolute trot, this new stallion approaches his eyes intense and his haunches sturdy.

"Well... Quite the welcome wagon." Sentinel states, remaining completely still.

"Eyup." The crimson-coated stallion retorts simply.

"Not one for conversation, are you?" Sentinel asks, his eyes meeting Big Mac's.

"Nope." Big Mac answers cautiously, both not moving an inch.

"Perfect." Sentinel commented with a sigh. In the distance, where the elderly mare stands, a young foal trots out, stopped by the green mare.

"Hold it, there, Applebloom. We got no idea what it is yet." Granny Smith said in a hushed tone, her eyes never leaving the kneeling, metal man.

"Awe, but granny~!" the young foal replied in a whiny, girlish tone.

"No buts. We ain't takin' any chances." The elderly mare counters, both staring at Sentinel.

A long, heavy silence then befalls the area, only the sound of the blowing wind to be heard for the longest time. The tension hangs in the air like a miasma, thick and suffocating, almost as though it was malevolent, threatening to strangle the beauty from the land. Then, the wind blows, its gentle howling shooing away the horrifying quiet. A single thud echoes a short distance away, as an apple falls from its branch, gently bouncing off the ground and rolling down the soft, sloping earth to stop with a gentle tap against Sentinel's knee.

Finally with a reason to attempt to break the tension, Sentinel looks down at the lustrous fruit beside him. "May I?" he asks, gently gesturing at it with a thick finger from his three-digited hands. The elderly mare's eyes shift between Sentinel's crystalline eyes and the apple several times, a contemplative expression on her face before she finally grants him a response in the form of a simple nod, her eyes only closing for a brief instance as she does so. Sentinel nods in turn, slowly reaching for the naturally polished fruit, picking it up and practically swallowing it, crushing it beneath the force of his massive jowls, seeds and all. In less than several seconds, the pulpy, mashed remnants of the apple are gulped down by the kneeling metal behemoth, the fruit's death knell of its final crunches heard. "That was delicious. I don't eat often, but I've never had an apple that good before in all my life." Sentinel states, attempting to break the tension once more.

His attempt, however, fails, and the all-encompassing silence grips the scene yet again. Then, as though the will of the Multiverse was forcing the silence to relinquish its tyrannical grip on the world, the sound of something piercing the air can be heard over head. Sentinel slowly turns towards the sound, looking up to the sky to see what appears to be a beam of prismatic color sailing through the sky, then, it suddenly shifted like a ray reflecting off a pane of glass towards them. A loud crash of energy can be heard as it suddenly accelerates, releasing a burst of radiant prismatic light and crashes to the ground several dozen feet from where Sentinel sits motionless upon the dirt. The dust kicked up from the impact gradually clears, revealing a new mare, this one sporting a curious sky blue colored coat and a rainbow colored mane and tail of spiky, tousled hair. Upon her flank is imprinted a mark of a cloud with a lightning bolt of rainbow colors dashing from it. At her back rests a pair of wings. Sentinel quickly pieces together that she's a Pegasus.

"Whoa. I see why Applejack was stumped how to deal with you. You're big, and kind of awesome." She comments, casually sauntering towards Sentinel as he remained motionless.

"Uh... Thank you... I think?" he replies, somewhat confused.

"Don't mention it." She said, now making a relaxed trot around him, inspecting him intensely. A purple burst of light momentarily blinds everyone in the immediate area before giving way to five more mares, each of varying coat colors, with interesting mane colors and styles.

One possesses a curious pink coat with a fluffy, seemingly gravity defying mane of a slightly darker shade of pink, her eyes a brilliant powder blue. Her body language alone shows that she is hardly able to contain her energy, like a soiree of glee is ready to erupt from her at any moment, exactly as energetic as the marking on her flank, a set of three balloons, two of which were blue with a yellow one between them.

The next, at her right and somewhat behind the rest, stands with a sunken, fearful stance, her soft, sea-blue eyes somewhat hidden beneath her long, light pink mane. A pair of feathery wings positively glued to the sides of her body. Upon her side, a triad of pink butterflies, standing in direct contrast with her coat's gentle shade of yellow.

The third is the mare from earlier, Applejack, though now, her expression is far from curious and uncertain. Within her eyes lie a determination and a stalwart courage. And beside her stands a hypnotic sight; a mare with piercing blue eyes, framed by long, meticulously styled lashes. Her coat is a spotless white and her mane a curling, violet masterpiece with a tail to match. Upon her flank lies a set of three blue gems and her head is accentuated by a single white horn, denoting her as a Unicorn.

And the last of the new mares, by far the most curious of the bunch, possesses both a horn and a pair of wings. Her coat is a glorious violet and her eyes a haunting shade of violet. Her mane, however, possesses a variable multitude of colors. A navy blue base with a purple and pink streak down the center, stopping to divide and make way for her horn; her flank adorned with a six-pointed light pink star with five other white, twinkling stars surrounding it in a circular pattern.

"OOH! It's a new thing! Newnewnewnewnewnewnew! Wait. What is it?" the pink one shouts energetically, hopping up and down, her mane bouncing just as much as she.

"Pinkie Pie, do calm down, darling. This is no time to lose... Focus... Oh, my word, just look at those eyes. They're the deepest set of rubies I've ever seen in all my life!" the white mare said, practically losing herself in Sentinel's unique crystalline eyes.

"Girls! This isn't the time for this. We don't even know if it's dangerous or not." The purple mare interrupts, stamping her hoof against the dusty ground.

It's at this time that the brown mare with golden hair speaks up. "It did toss all of its belongin's on the ground, there. Ah don't think it's here to cause any trouble. Told me it was just passin' through. Found us by accident."

"Uh... Yeah, can I get up off the ground now? My knees are starting to lock up." Sentinel interjects, gradually lifting one of his hands to draw their attention.

"How do we know we can trust you?" the mare with the rainbow mane asks, her reddish-violet eyes glaring into Sentinel's pair of crimson crystalline lenses.

"Well, I spent the last 10 minutes in a meditative position so I wouldn't get kicked in the jaw by an angry stallion or mare..." he starts, nodding in Applejack's direction before continuing again. "...and willingly disarmed myself so none of you would feel threatened. I just want to get some bearing on where I am, and what's going on here." He said, finishing his response.

"Group huddle!" the pink one shouts, using her forelimbs to, almost humanly, drag the other five into a tight circle so they may whisper among themselves for several moments. After less than a minute of hushed speaking, the group disperses to all face Sentinel, their expressions unreadable, aside from that of the pink mare, which looked to have been using every last bit of her willpower to contain her enthusiasm.

"We've decided that we'll take you to the castle and talk about it there." The purple mare said, her wings splaying as she speaks, as though she were commanding his attention. "Applejack, would you do the honors?" she asks, turning to the rancher-mare, who then nods. She then steps over to the side of the farm house's porch, using her tail to make use of a rope that had been coiled against it. Like it were prehensile, her tail makes total use of the rope, lassoing Sentinel's shoulders, binding his arms at his side. The purple mare's horn then glows a vibrant violet and Sentinel's items lift from the ground, surrounded by an aura of the same color. "Well, let's get going." She states, leading them all down the path towards the crystalline castle off in the distance, Sentinel having been forced to stand due to his bindings. As he followed these colorful, strange, sentient ponies back to a glistening castle in their small, rustic town, Sentinel mentally chides himself. _Well... This has been an interesting day already... It's only going to keep getting worse from here. I can feel it..._

 _ **End Chapter 1.**_

 _ **End note.**_ _ **And that concludes the first installment of this unique crossover series. I hope anyone that reads this enjoys it. Anyway, as always, read, review, and feel free to drop me a PM whenever you'd like. Stay frosty, my friends!**_


	2. Chapter 2: Equestrian Hospitality

_**Author's Note.**_ _ **So, being that this is a crossover story, I'm not surprised that it's only getting a handful of views, but still, it's good to write something that I find interesting again. It's good to be able to entertain others with my writing again. And above all else, it's just nice to feel the creative flow again. Well, thanks for the trip down memory lane, everyone; I'll wrap this up and let the story begin. Here's chapter 2.**_

 __ _ **Chapter 2: Equestrian Hospitality.**_

The heavy thumping sound of Sentinel's footfalls and the softer, clopping sounds of hooves was all that could be heard as the group traveled down the beaten path towards the small town of cottages.

"You know, it's strange. This is far from the first time I've been bound and led around as a prisoner, but it's the first time it's ever been at the... uh... hooves of talking ponies." Sentinel commented, looking about the place casually.

"You're mighty calm fer a prisoner." Applejack replies before glancing back at him. "Oh, hay, what was yer name again?" she asks him, causing him to turn to face forward, momentary locking eyes with her.

"Sentinel. I'll explain everything when we get to this uh... castle... Wait, that's a castle?" he replies, getting a better glance at the building now that they were now farther into the town.

"Yepyepyep! It's R-r-r-r-really big! Great for playing hide and seek!" Pinkie pie shouts energetically, bouncing in a way that looked almost like she was simply defying gravity for moments at a time. She slows down enough to stand beside Sentinel before passing behind him. He tries to follow her, but when he goes to turn to face her, she disappears, only for her to reappear standing on his head. All four of her pink hooves work to plant her firmly in place, allowing her to lean forward and see him face to muzzle as she continued talking. "Sometimes, it's too good for hide and seek! I spent an entire day hiding, waiting for someone to find me, but nopony could! It was awesome! You should play with me sometime!"

"Okay, Pinkie, first, nopony was playing with you. You were playing hide and seek by yourself. And second, he's a prisoner, you don't play hide and seek with a prisoner. That's like, rule one for keeping a prisoner." The mare with a rainbow colored mane replied, looking back and down at the two of them as she'd been flying several feet above the group.

"Well, seeing as you were so kind as to introduce yourself, I believe we owe you the same, darling." The white-coated mare states, turning her head to glance back towards Sentinel as the pink one hops off his head. "I am Rarity, Color Coordinator Extraordinaire and Aspect of the Element of Generosity."

"I'm Rainbow Dash. Fastest pony alive and Aspect of the Element of Loyalty." The rainbow-maned one replied, a challenging smirk on her face.

"Pinkie Pie's the name! And planning parties is my game! I represent the Element of Laughter!" the pink mare shouts joyfully, springing backwards onto her back hooves, a burst of confetti seemingly launching from her front hooves as she swings them towards the sky.

"Ah'm Applejack, but you already knew that. Ah'm an applebuckin' pony, an' Ah'm more honest than a rattlesnake." Applejack said, somewhat embarrassed to have introduced herself for a third time.

"Applebucking is what we ponies do to get apples out of their trees, since we're not quite tall enough to reach them. Applejack's one of the best applebuckers in Ponyville. I'm Twilight Sparkle. I'm the Princess of Friendship, and I represent the Element of Magic." The purple mare states, turning her head back to speak to him. It was obvious in her tone and the way she carried herself that she was both very level-headed and not quite the stereotypical princess.

And the last mare; the one with a light pink, flowing mane and a light yellow coat spoke so softly, that Sentinel could barely hear her. As she speaks, her eyes dart back and forth from him to the ground and her steps slow down until she stops moving entirely. "I'm... Mm... Flut...ter..." however, as she spoke, she looked up at Sentinel and her words trailed off into indistinguishable syllables.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that, please?" Sentinel replies, not fully understanding what she'd said.

"I'm... Flut-Fluttershy..." she reiterates, stuttering slightly. She closes her eyes to force out her name, but can't manage to continue.

"She likes animals! And I mean a _whole_ lot!" Pinkie Pie interjects, hopping up and down in place.

"Well, Fluttershy, I really like animals too. I don't need much, so if I get the opportunity, I like to relax against a tree and remain perfectly still until birds come and visit me." Sentinel said, moving to kneel a few feet away from her as the others observe them closely.

"You... you do?" she asks in a gentle voice, finally meeting his gaze with curious, sea-green eyes.

"I do. I even know a small bit about magic and could introduce you to a friend of mine." He replies with a soft chuckle. At this, Twilight's ears perked up, nearly in unison with Fluttershy's, though for a different reason.

"W-well... Maybe I could visit you in your cell sometime? I could bring a few of my animal friends, too." The gentle mare asked. "Oh, and, I'm the Aspect of the Element of Kindness." She continued, only just now remembering to finish introducing herself.

"I'd like that. Also, just for the record, I have no idea what these elements are, but they sound important." Sentinel answers, then turns to the rest of the group.

"We'll have plenty of time to explain everything at the castle, but in the meantime, I'd be interested to know just what kinds of magic you can do, Sentinel." Twilight interjects, walking up to him as they all continue towards the tree-like castle.

"Well, it's mostly parlor tricks and the ordinary utility spell here or there, but I know a few that are very cool. I could give you all a demonstration right now, if you'd like. It's a simple spell, one that I've found horses to really love, actually." He replied, trying to manipulate his arms to get at the pack at his waist. "Uh... Little Help? I need a sprig of Mistletoe. It's in this pouch, here, but I can't... quite... get it." He asks, trying to reach it again.

Then suddenly, a white aura envelopes the pouch, causing it to open and the contents to float out as Rarity investigates the individual items; a moment later, she hands Sentinel the small, petrified twig and the ponies keep a close eye on his actions. "There you are, darling." She states. With the twig in-hand, he nods his thanks and begins waving his hands slowly, speaking a small phrase.

"Majak lleisgar ekess wer naushindcal di tobor." He said, causing the small sprig to glow green a moment before it seemingly comes back to life, budding with berries almost immediately. "This spell is called "Goodberry". It's a life-giving spell. You can eat one of these berries and be sustained for a day. You won't need to eat anything else. They also work to cure minor wounds, like aching joints." He said his tone somewhat proud.

Twilight was struck silent, her muzzle pointed slightly down and mouth agape with her eyes transfixed on the berries in his hand, as were the other mares as well.

"What? Want one?" Sentinel asks, confused by their responses. "They're perfectly safe." He said, leaning towards Fluttershy slightly, his hand about a foot from her muzzle.

"Oh, well... I don't know..." Fluttershy replies, staring at the juicy, shining berries.

"I give you my word, they're completely safe." He said, holding out the branch. "Think of this as an olive branch; a sign of peace."

Brashly, Rainbow Dash comes up to the branch, somewhat irritated. "Ugh, if it'll get you to stop asking, I'll try one!" she said, using her teeth to pluck one of the delicate berries. She then looks about at her friends, somewhat nervously before she closes her jaw, crushing the berry between her teeth. When the berry's juices touch her tongue, her eyes widen in surprise and she swallows almost immediately, staring up at Sentinel. "This... this is awesome." She states, her eyes not leaving his.

"Well, thanks for the complement. I like to use Draconic when casting the spell instead of the usual language, since it makes them taste better; less bitter." He replies, chuckling. "Anyone else like to try one?" he asks, looking at the others.

"Listen, you guys, you gotta try these." Rainbow Dash comments as well.

At that moment, Twilight managed to shake herself free from her stunned stupor, taking the opportunity to ask him a question. "You mentioned something called "Draconic"? What is that?"

"Oh, it's the language of Dragons. Where I come from, dragons are the praetors of all arcane magic. It runs through their blood." He replies, holding out the branch for her to take a berry. She gently takes one in her mouth before responding.

"I have so many questions, but now's not the time to ask them." She replies turning and beginning to lead the group again. "Those are very good, by the way, thank you." She comments as they walk towards the castle.

In a matter of a few more minutes, they come to the foot of the castle, its semi-reflective, murky-crystal texture producing a bazaar light show, as if to greet them. Stepping inside, its expansive beauty comes to light. Long, shimmering corridors lead the eye on a journey through expansive rooms and elegant doorways, seemingly grown from the castle itself.

"Architecture's not my strong suit, but this castle looks impossible, and that's coming from a golem." He states, spellbound by the beautiful castle.

"What's a golem?" Rainbow Dash asks, confused.

"A golem is an automaton brought to life by magic." Twilight replies, using her magic to close the doors behind them. "Wait, you're a golem?!" she asks, her eyes widening.

"Yep. Forged about 100 years ago. I'm a unique type of golem called a Warforged. I can go into greater detail whenever you'd like, but I don't want to turn this into a history lesson about a world you've never seen." Sentinel answers, chuckling.

"Oh, I love history!" Twilight replies enthusiastically, standing on her hind legs to get closer to his face out of excitement, her front limbs kneeling against his abdomen to support her.

"Well, let's not bore the rest of them then, shall we?" he asks, gently grasping her hooves with his hands and lowering her back onto four legs.

"Right. Another time then. For now..." she states, nodding to Applejack, having the earth pony untie him. "...Let's talk like civilized beings." She continues, the rope falling to his feet.

"Alright. Where should I start?" he asks calmly, crossing his arms.

"From the beginning." Twilight answered simply.

"How did you get here, darling?" Rarity interjects, settling into her throne, along with the others.

"Yes, please, I'd like to know too." Fluttershy comments softly as she sits in her throne.

"Well, I don't know. To tell you the truth; I'm just as shocked as the lot of you. One moment, I'm breaking camp, and the next, the forest opens up to this place. I just thought it was a nice day outside until I saw Applejack, here." He replied, gesturing towards her.

"So this wasn't on purpose? You didn't want to come here?" Twilight asks, her face showing visible contemplation.

"Exactly; I had no idea heading out this morning that I'd stumble upon a land of talking, intelligent ponies. I just expected it to be another boring day of travelling." He reiterates, gesturing with his hands as he speaks.

"What do you mean by that? How smart are ponies in your world?" Twilight asks, curious.

"Where I'm from, horses aren't that smart. They're smart enough to understand things like commands, but certainly not communication or comprehension like you all can." he answered calmly, gesturing towards them.

"So this must come as quite a shock to you, then." She replied, nodding slightly.

"Almost as much as it was to you." He retorts before shrugging. "But I'm old, so not much surprises me anymore."

"I see. Well, you seem harmless enough; I see no problem with letting you stay in Ponyville, but under close supervision by either myself or one of my friends. Understood?" Twilight asks, her tone firm and intelligent.

"Yes, ma'am." Sentinel replies calmly before clapping his hands together, releasing a metallic clang. "Alright then, what now?" he asks, looking between the six of them curiously.

"Well, I reckon yer gonna need a place to hang yer hat, uh, so to speak, so you can stay in the guest room. You can take yer stuff now, by the way." Applejack replies, nodding to it as it rests upon the flat, crystalline table. He grabs his tattered cloak and shoulder guards, clamping them back into place.

"I appreciate the hospitality. Let me know if there's anything I can do to return the favor." He states, grabbing his shield and locking it in place on his left hand.

"Oh, don't worry, there's never a dull day, here in Ponyville. You'll have work find you." Twilight replies with a soft giggle: a giggle that fills Sentinel with an uneasy sense of foreboding.

 _ **End Chapter 2.**_

 _ **End Note:**_ _ **I don't have all that much to say other than thank you for reading and as always, read, review, and feel free to PM me whenever you'd like. Stay frosty, my friends!**_


	3. Chapter 3: Readjustment

_**Author's Note:**_ _ **Well, ladies and gentlemen, I made a mistake. I ended last chapter without really having the characters explain what they were meant to. That's the problem with writing when you don't plan things out. Sorry about that, everyone. I'll try to right that in this chapter. Well, that aside, here's chapter 3.**_

 _ **Chapter 3: Readjustment.**_

 _You know, it's strange. I thought it would be difficult readjusting to living with these ponies... But they're more human than you'd believe..._

At that moment, a loud crash catches Sentinel's attention as a wooden beam falls down behind him. Instinctively, he races over and tackles the wooden beam, holding it in place to prevent it from moving and accidentally hitting anything. When the beam was finished reverberating, he rose to stand and looked about to piece together what went wrong.

"Sorry, big guy, I guess the beam slipped..." Applejack said, trotting up to him, somewhat embarrassed by her slip up.

"It's no problem. It wasn't your fault. Just didn't have enough points to bear the load. How about I give you a hand this time?" he asks, lifting the beam enough to slip two ropes under it and sets it back down.

"Whooee, yer almost as strong as me!" she retorts, a challenging smile on her face.

"Almost? How about when we get this shed finished up, I teach you a thing or two about strength?" he asks, chuckling.

"Yer on, metal head!" Applejack replies with a soft laugh before lifting the wooden beam up onto the structure for Sentinel to hammer into place. Sentinel steps up and holds the wooden beam in place and beats the nail into place using his fist in only a few swings. "Ah didn't notice before, but you can use yer uh... Those things fer that?" she asks, curious.

"Yep, and for a lot of other things too; it's one of the perks of being made of metal." He answered simply. "And by the way, they're called hands. They're quite useful, actually."

"I reckon yer right. The little things on 'em look mighty helpful." She agrees as she heads over to get some more wood to build the walls.

"Fingers, or digits, either one works. So what else goes on in this town? I've only been here for a little while and all the townsfolk seem to have already pretty much gotten used to me." He asked curiously.

"Well, ya look weird, but you ain't causin' any trouble, so nopony'll bother ya, if that's what yer askin'." She replies, coming back with a small pile of wooden planks and a box of nails.

"No, I mean... It's hard to explain... I'm a construct, normally, that elicits a strong response in others. Curious stares, unfriendly glares; I've even had some people throw things to get me to leave their town." He said, picking up the pile and setting it down on the ground.

"Why would anypony treat somepony as nice as you like that?" she asked, her eyes widening mildly in shock.

"Well... Let's just say my past isn't all sweet rolls and rainbows. My race's name explains our purpose. We are War-Forged, as in we were literally forged for war." He begins, practically punching a nail into place, pinning a board to the structure. "I won't bore you with the details, but I fought for thirty years in a war where everyone that wasn't in your unit could be your ally one day and your enemy the next. It took me almost 40 years of traveling to learn what a real friend was." He continued with a sigh, beating in another nail and moving on to the next board.

"Wow, Ah never woulda guessed you went through somethin' like that." Applejack replied, a solemn worry in her eyes. "Are things like wars common where you come from?" she asks, settling down on her rump on the ground.

"Not anymore, but conflict, battles, and skirmishes do still happen. So, I got up and left. Found a new place to trail blaze. Then, I found this place. Needless to say, I'm glad I did. I've been needing a place to rest my head, so to speak." He replied, trying to cut the heavy mood with a slight joke, causing her to at least smile.

"Ah gotta say, I don't envy you, partner, well, Ah do wish I had a pair'a those hands'a yours, but that's about it." She replied with a soft smile.

"Heh. Yeah. Well, let's get this finished up." He said, moving on to the next section of the wall.

"Yer not tired?" she asked, wiping sweat from her forehead, her soft, orange coat glistening slightly.

"Nah, it takes a lot to tire me out. Go ahead and take a break, I'll join you when I finish up this wall." He replied, hammering in another plank. Applejack couldn't help but be impressed by his work ethic and perseverance. He made short work of the East wall, finishing in 45 minutes; something that would have taken her at least an hour to do on her own.

"How can you work like that? About half way through, mah hooves'd be sore and mah neck'd ache." She asked, utterly shocked by his efficiency.

"Just one of the perks of being a Warforged, I guess. We don't need to rest all that often and we don't feel pain." He replied, shrugging before settling down onto the ground beside her.

"You really don't feel pain?" she asked, confused.

"Well, not like others do. What we feel isn't something that makes us pull away, like when you touch a hot coal, we feel the heat and the damage it causes. We have to consciously pull away to get the damage to stop. You squishier types have the luxury of a brain that can do that for you. We just have our conditioning." He replied.

"Conditionin'? How do you mean?" Applejack asks her eyes full of curiosity.

"Well... We were trained to believe that things like the afterlife aren't for us; that death is the end. We don't sleep, so we learned to appreciate the little things, like the grass and the sky, but when we die, we don't get to experience those things anymore. That thought terrified us into following orders and working as units. We were largely motivated by the fear of nothingness and the promise of glory when we were victorious." He then took a moment to release an audible sigh before resuming his explanation. "It wasn't a good life, and, sadly, it was the only one we'd ever known." He continues.

At this, Applejack's eyes looked to be full of anger and worry. "Ah can't believe they'd put you through something like that! That's just not right! You're a somepony just like the rest of 'em! They can't just treat you like a toy! Ugh! That just burns my biscuits!" she shouts, stamping her front hoof against the ground.

"It's alright. It's been almost 80 years since the war ended. A lot of us have since learned how to live, rather than just exist. Many of us have found friends and those we can call family. We started out as soldiers and slaves, but after the war, we were granted citizenship. Now, we're a people, but prejudice does still exist." He interjects, placing his hand on her back to calm her down.

"Ah know, but it's not right." She replies, still somewhat upset.

"What's important is that things are better than they were. We're free now, though many of us are still learning what that really means." He replied, scratching her back to help her calm down: it seemed to be working quite well as she slowly leaned down to lay on the ground. His thick, metal fingers dug gently into her tired muscles.

"N-normally... Ah don't like others rubbin' on me... But those fingers 'a yours do wonders... A-ha-ha'll make an exception..." she replied with a groan, stretching her neck forward to lay completely flat, her eyes somewhat rolling back with enjoyment before closing completely.

"Thanks. I've been told that I'm good with animals. Oh, sorry, where I come from, horses are just like animals." He replied before rephrasing his response.

"Oh... Ah bet you do..." Applejack said with a sigh.

"Here, I think you'll enjoy this..." he said, gently pulling her to lay on his lap while his hands worked at her neck and lower back, causing her to release a heavy sigh, lowering her head to rest on his calf.

"Ah ain't never had anythin' like this b'fore... Ah think ya should... Mmm... Talk ta Aloe and Lotus Blossom down at... The spa... Ponies'd want yer hands more'n... A bear after honey... Oh..." she said in a soft tone, almost releasing a whiny or two involuntarily.

"Happy to be of service, miss." He replies, moving back to her shoulders, however, she suddenly shot up with a heavy red hue on her cheeks and wide eyes.

"Oh... Ah... Uh... Think Ah hear Granny Smith callin'! Uh, yeah! That's it! Sorry! Gotta go! Bye!" she said in a hurried tone as she got up and raced towards her family's barn.

"Strange. Well, might as well get back to work." He mutters to himself. _I guess I could go into town and try to find that spa she was on about._ He thought as he resumed hammering planks into place to make the walls.

In about twenty minutes, the walls were finished and he topped the small shed with a tarp to protect against rain. "Shingling is going to suck." He said with a sigh before heading towards the barn. When he gripped the handle to open it, it's immediately closed, though he catches sight of Applejack on the other side.

"Ah'm a bit busy at the moment, partner, sorry!" she shouts with a somewhat shaky voice.

"Uh... Alright, well, I just came to say I finished up the shed's walls. I'll be back tomorrow to do the shingling." He replied, looking at the closed door curiously. "Are you alright in there?" he asked, confused.

"Yeah! Ah'm perfectly fine! N-no need to come in! Thanks for all yer hard work today!" she answers, her tone seeming nervous.

"Well, anyway, see you later. I'm going to stop by that spa you mentioned." He replied, waiting for her response.

"That's fine; just make sure not to stop on the way there! Twilight'll have both our hides if ya... Go about causin' a scene!" she said, her tone now sounding rushed, like she was forcing herself to speak.

"Will do. And... Whatever's going on, I hope you feel better soon." He replies, turning and heading towards the dirt trail that led into town. Soon, the path leads him past a small cottage; the same cottage he'd passed when he'd first arrived.

 _ **Chapter 3 end.**_

 _ **End Note:**_ _ **This was a short update, but I don't think I should have too long pass between updates. There may only be a few of you reading this out there, but that doesn't mean you should have to wait just for updates. As always, read, review, and feel free to PM me whenever you'd like. Stay frosty, my friends.**_


	4. Chapter 4: New Friends, Old Familiars

_**Author's Note:**_ _**To those faithful up until now and those just joining, I have a message: thank you for your support. Now, I'll keep this brief as to not cause a wall of text; I'm planning to divvy up the characters into their own chapters or two per chapter as to not overwhelm myself. Writing for several characters at once can be very exhausting. Well, without further ado; here's chapter 4, ladies and gentlemen.**_

 _ **Chapter 4:**_ _ **New Friends, Old Familiars.**_

 _It's surprisingly easy to get lost in an area that's new... Even if you are almost as tall as some of the buildings there..._

"Hello? Any... uh... pony home? I'm a bit lost." Sentinel said, using his knuckle to gently knock on the simple wooden door of the rustic cabin. A chicken coop sits beside the building, the small fowl clucking merrily. Slowly, the door opens, revealing a familiar mare with a soft pink mane on its other side.

"Oh... Well... Hello, Sentinel. What are you doing here?" Fluttershy asks, hiding behind her mane slightly out of nervousness. "Where's Applejack?" she asks, now opening the door to look around, confused.

"She's back at the orchard. We were working on the new shed and took a break, and then she just ran off. It was the strangest thing. She took off like she'd heard her maker calling for her." He answered, shrugging.

"Really? That's so unlike her. I wonder why she would have done something like that." She replies, looking to the side in thought. "Well, how can I help you?" she asks, refocusing on Sentinel.

"Well, I'm a bit lost. I'm looking for the spa. Before Applejack ran off, she told me that I'd make a great masseuse." He answers, rubbing the back of his head.

"Oh, well, as it so happens, I have an appointment with Rarity this afternoon. I can take you when I go out." She mentioned, smiling softly. She then stepped to the side and widened the door, allowing him to step inside if he so chose.

"That'd be perfect, thank you. And I seem to recall that I owe you a demonstration of my magic and a tea party with a friend of mine as well." He said, leaning down slightly to fit through the low doorframe.

"Oh, my; we can have tea outside, if you'd prefer. That looks like such a nuisance." She interjects, her eyes widening slightly.

"Nah, I'm used to it. I'm tall even where I'm from, so this is just one of the drawbacks." He replies calmly, beginning to squeeze through the frame.

"Oh, no, I insist. I wouldn't be a good host if I made you feel so uncomfortable just getting inside." She persists, stepping toward him, her eyes closing and head shaking to show her resolution. "You just wait right there and I'll get some sandwiches. We're going to have a picnic. I can't have my guest feeling uncomfortable." She continues assertively, turning and heading towards her kitchen. Her pale pink-colored mane and tail gently bobbed with her every quiet step taken, only further engraining the thought that her name was far more appropriate than Sentinel first realized.

With little else to do while Fluttershy gathered their food, Sentinel settles onto the ground in a cross-legged position, inspecting the interior of her house through the open doorway. Small animals peeked out of their homes in the house's interior, inspecting the new, unnatural visitor from a distance. The inside of the cabin struck him by surprise and captivated him further with each moment he spent taking it in. The colors were simple and the designs subtle, never demanding ones attention or calling out to their eyes in a conversation; a feature that mirrored Fluttershy's personality on the fundamental level. Soft browns decorated with gentle, scattered dots of pink filled the majority of the cottage, making for a rustic, druidic feeling, while the occasional picture acted to add life to the air. Despite the silence, Sentinel sits comfortably as he awaits her return for a short while.

A soft trotting from the other room calls Sentinel's attention and his eyes meet Fluttershy as she makes her way back into the main room, a basket held by its handles in her mouth. Sentinel's dull, unnatural senses catch the scent of the fruits, vegetables, and various assorted baked goods inside the wicker basket. "Oh, please, allow me to carry that. A lady shouldn't have to carry something while a man is her company." Sentinel states, extending his hand out to receive the basket from her. However, his attempt at chivalry is thwarted by her silent protest of a soft smile and a gentle shaking of the head. With a slight chuckle, he rises to stand, stepping out of the way for her to exit through the door, closing it behind her. "Well then, in that case, lead the way, madam." He said, bowing respectfully, causing her to smile slightly with an imperceptible blush on her cheeks as she showed him to a nice place.

After a few minutes' walk, she stops and lowers the basket to the ground before settling onto the grass. A small oak tree stands above them, its branches giving them shade against the midday sun. Settling to lean against the tree, Sentinel crosses his legs, looking to her. His eyes dim to show his contentedness as she opens the basket and hands him a sandwich made of tomato, basil, and mozzarella cheese, steam gently wafting into the open air.

"It looks delicious, though I'll give you fair warning; table manners weren't included in my military training, so this won't be too pretty to watch." He said with a slightly embarrassed chuckle as he takes the grilled sandwich.

"Oh, it's quite alright. I've spent a lot of time with animals. Many of them are very messy eaters." She replies, smiling at him gently.

"I would assume so. Although, I feel somewhat uncomfortable eating such a delicious meal. I mean, I'm not like you or the others; I don't need food to survive. It just seems like a bit of a waste for me to have it instead of someone else." He countered, inspecting the food in his hand.

"Nonsense. I cooked that just for you. Nopony else has the right to eat it. So you go right ahead and enjoy it." She replies with a resolute shake of her head. Her eyes close and her eyebrows squint as she denotes her disagreement. "And even if you don't need to eat, it's never a waste to enjoy a nice picnic with a friend." She continues, smiling softly.

"I've been here less than a day and I'm already your friend, Fluttershy?" he asks, curiously.

"Of course; just because you're new and made of different things than I am doesn't make you any less of a person. In fact, I think it makes you even more interesting." She replied with a sincere smile.

"It's been a long time since I last met someone that looked beyond what I'm made of so readily. Normally, it takes a long time for that. Thank you, Fluttershy." He said, looking down at the sandwich he was still holding before looking back up to her. She again smiles with sincerity at him, her soft, green eyes meeting his. "And thank you for lunch. Even if I don't need it, it's still very nice." He adds, finally taking a large bite out of the sandwich. The crust releases a slight crunching sound as his metal jowls tear through it. With a second movement of his jaw to chew, Sentinel nearly loses his mouthful due to his lack of lips. He reacted quickly, using his hand to cover his face so he could chew easier, enjoying the flavors of his special lunch. "This is very good. I like that the tomato makes a powerful flavor and that the mozzarella and basil support it. It's very simple. This was all spur of the moment, so I'd like to thank you for sparing some time to do this with me."

"Oh, stop, you're being too hard on yourself. I'd always make time for a friend." She replies, her eyes closing and her head shaking in disapproval.

"I'll try to be a bit softer on myself, then." He said, taking another bite before forgetting to cover his mouth and losing some of his bite of food to the grass, causing him to sigh audibly. At this, Fluttershy giggles quietly, smiling again.

"I guess you were right about your table manners." She said, her voice sweet and soft after laughing.

"Well, you try chewing without any lips to hold the food in." he replied, chuckling at himself as well. In several minutes, the two of them finished their lunch and Fluttershy packed up the basket. "Well, before we wrap this up, let me show you my friend. He's an owl, but not like any you've ever seen." He said, pulling out a thick book from his side. He then begins digging a marking into the ground with his knife.

"What are you doing?" Fluttershy asked, confused.

"It's a ritual circle. I have to make one in order to cast the spell to summon him. This'll just take a few minutes. And don't worry, the circle will burn up and the ground will go back to how it was; like I was never even here." He said, continuing to work the knife into the soil.

"Oh, okay, just be careful. That looks sharp." She comments, slightly worried.

"I'll be alright, but thanks for the thought." He replies, now digging deep into the dirt. Several minutes pass as the circle takes shape. It is marked with small, squiggly markings that seem unreadable and the circle has several lines and smaller circles distributed through it. With the circle complete, Sentinel rises to stand, cleaning his knife's edge and sheathing it. He then speaks in a strange language, causing the dirt marking to collect light, glowing vibrantly after several moments. "Ini wer geou di wer suiaerl si torkta nomeno sorwhitaj." He states, releasing his grip on the open book in his hand. However, the book doesn't fall to the ground, even after his hand dropped to his side, it instead hung in the air, as though being willed to hang in the air. Sentinel then speaks again. "Pliso lasauic wux." The circle now burns with white light and small bolts of lightning streak from the various markings and points on its surface, arcing towards the book as it levitates in the air. The outer edges of the circle release a pillar of light, ensnaring the book in a column of white, shimmering energy. Then, in a burst of light, the pillar and streaks of lightning cease to exist and the circle is gone, Sentinel's book slamming shut and dropping to the ground at his feet. On the ground, where the circle had previously been, now stood an owl with white and silver shimmering feathers and golden, shining eyes.

Fluttershy's mouth hangs agape and her eyes stare widely, speechless at what she'd just witnessed. A soft, sound of confusion leaves her throat.

"Fluttershy, meet Ptolemy. My Fey Owl from another plane of existence. Ptolemy, this is my friend, Fluttershy." Sentinel speaks, reaching down to offer the glinting raptor. Ptolemy hops onto his finger and releases a single coo, leaning forward, as if to bow to her.

 _ **End Chapter 4.**_

 _ **End Note:**_ _ **This was a rather difficult chapter to write. Fluttershy is far more timid than any of my normal characters and pegging that personality was difficult. If I made any mistakes, feel free to let me know in the reviews section, everyone. As always, read, review, and feel free to PM me. Stay frosty, my friends.**_


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